Benchmarks for Nexus 4 LTE and X Phone Appear Running New Versions of Android, Probably Shouldn’t Believe Them Though

Don’t worry, we’ve seen your tips hit our inbox. We are well aware that benchmarks for devices named “Google Nexus 4 LTE” and “Google X phone” are appearing through apps like AnTuTu. We also know that both have been rumored off and on over the last couple of months as potential Google I/O launch devices. But pardon us if we aren’t buying into these benchmarks being legit or giving us any reason to call anything as “confirmed.” Let me explain.

We’ll start first with the “Google Nexus 4 LTE,” since it’s the newest device to make internet rounds. After a couple of unconfirmed and “weird” rumors for this device floated about last week, a supposed benchmark from it is now available, leading some to report that this device along with Android 4.3 are confirmed. (Nice timing!) Funny thing is, if you actually own a Nexus 4 with stock Android (like I do), and run an AnTuTu benchmark, the device isn’t called “Google Nexus 4.” No, AnTuTu knows the name as “Nexus 4” only. In fact, if you do an AnTuTu search for “Nexus 4,” you’ll get dozens of results back from real devices, but if you limit it to “Google Nexus 4,” you get four results of devices that may not even be the Nexus 4 (all pictured above to the left). Two are clocked properly at 1.5GHz, while the other two are are running Ice Cream Sandwich and who knows what kind of processor.

So what I’m getting at, is benchmarks can easily be faked. Toss on a custom ROM here, tweak a build.prop there, and I wouldn’t be surprised if you could trick the results into showing whatever you like. And that leads us into the next screenshot on the far right for the “Google X phone” and “Google X” running Android 5.0.1

First, we know that Motorola is working on new phones – execs from Google have admitted this time and time again. Do we know that one of them will be called the “X Phone”? No. Sure, we’ve seen a job listing for the project from Motorola with X Phone mentioned, but if anything, that’s a code name (or a troll job by Google), which typically do not show up on benchmarks. Second, it’s clear that someone tried to create these results just to stir the pot. We’ve got phones with varying processors, three different versions of Android, and one even going as far as to use the word “phone” in the name. Because phone manufacturers love to use the word “phone” in an official capacity at the end of their naming conventions. Can you imagine if HTC went with the “HTC One Phone”? You get the point.

Oh and what about the top result that shows “Android 5.0.1”? We’re pretty sure the next big release of Android is 4.3, not 5.0. You can find a handful of reports who are claiming to have seen Android 4.3 in server logs (we’ve got sightings in our analytics as well), still as Jelly Bean, but nothing on 5.0 and we’re two weeks from Google I/O. If Google were to unveil 5.0, we’d have seen some sort of trace of it by now.

In the past, we have used benchmarks to help shape stories and gather details about upcoming phones, but AnTuTu listings of a random phone name with a random version of Android is not a part of that process. If you want to find legitimate results, GLBenchmark is probably your best bet.

Motorola is indeed working on new phones, hell, we even have the real codenames for them already. But there are no signs right now that point to Google actually releasing an LTE Nexus 4. We’d love for that to happen, but anything related to it at this point is nothing but rumor. Thankfully, we are two weeks away from I/O and will find out for sure then.

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Google X is fake. it will have much more power than 1512 MHz, espicially as every new flagship phone has at least 1.6GHz, but the Nexus 4 LTE is believable.

ckeegan

Hurry the F up already, and announce this supposed X Phone for Verizon. I can’t take much more of my 5 hour GNex battery life, extended battery no less.

matthew98tv

What if this is Galaxy Spica with graphics driver?!

Daistaar

“…even going as far as to use the word “phone” in the name. Because phone manufacturers love to use the word “phone” in an official capacity at the end of their naming conventions.”
Asus PadPhone…Apple iPhone…E.T. PhoneHome

Christopher Riner

Because phone manufacturers love to use the word “phone” in an official capacity at the end of their naming conventions–

I’m not gonna point any fingers, but a certain fruit company was dumb enough to try it.

Brandon Golway

The new iPhone phone! You have to have it or your friends will think your uncool and poor!

As a VZW customer if there really is a Nexus 4 LTE coming out I’m getting it.

ddh819

yes trying to nurse along my droid charge till then

Siege

I’m nursing my Charge along until I can get out of my contract with Big Red.

Steve Benson

Won’t come to Verizon. This is LTE for T-mo or At&t, but more likely Sprint. This has Sprints MO all over it.

EvanTheGamer

One would think that the X Phone is some sort of black hole, also is disguised as someone that Bionic knows. When that certain someone approached Bionic one day, the X Phone revealed itself as the black hole, then swallows up Bionic. Bionic was never heard from again. Sad story really. But then again, at least we’ll never hear those two words ever again… ‘X phone’ by Bionic.

Azn_Android

…

EvanTheGamer

Yes, that’s right …

S2556

Pass the bong bro haha

EvanTheGamer

I don’t do drugs nor should anyone that isn’t the President of the good ole U.S. of A.

Bionic

Nope I’m still here. I ejected my warp core and used the shock wave to escape.

EvanTheGamer

Okay, goodie!

And very lucky…that X Phone was a powerful black hole, but guess it wasn’t powerful enough. Perhaps the X2 Phone black hole will be even more powerful next time.

Not sure why Google would release the Nexus 4 LTE , MOTO X, and Nexus 5 all this year….something doesn’t quite add up. I could see them doing the N4 LTE at I/O and the MOTO X is really the Nexus 5 later this year… Just spit-balling here..

r0lct

I don’t think it is that far fetched, not saying I would bet on it. Keep in mind Moto is separate from the Nexus program. There will undoubtedly be a New Moto phone and Nexus 5 this year.

The only doubt is the Nexus 4 LTE. It is plausible as it would just be almost the exact same hardware as the current model with LTE officially working, not really a new phone. So if it launched with I/O and a Nexus 5 in Q4, it’s not really a big deal, especially if they keep selling the current model as a cheap option even after they launch the next Nexus.

kg215

Yup it is plausible and would be the best scenario. Of course there is also the possibility of only 1 out of those 3 devices being released by the end of this year too. Hopefully it is the former.

Bionic_The_Troll

Well per sarge, Im told that the benchmarks are actually lower then expected. Motorola X phone is going to have 64 cores and 32 gigs of ram running stock KLP WHICH will be 5.0.1. I don’t know why you guys never believe me…. I’m super serious. Stop not believing me. Trust me. this is coming straight from Sarge.

Trolling the troll. Always appreciated. Especially when it’s Bionic. Have an upvote

Seth Merritt

This just in. A phone company is working on new phones.

JoshGroff

Is a software company working on enhancements as well?

T4rd

Yes, but not as quickly as the phone companies are making new phones =(.

Erik

I blame Java

gukibupytew

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bakdroid

Bionic says…..X-Phone!

nb

And it begins, I may have to take a break from all these android news sites while all the rumor mills start spinning.

Pandalero

“Because phone manufacturers love to use the word “phone” in an official capacity at the end of their naming conventions.”

Any Nexus 4 LTE version will be only for Sprint. Period. The end. Sprint always gets the latest Nexus devices around the April/May timeframe so this would come as no shock. Don’t hold out for a Verizon version. If the N4 didn’t launch on Verizon last November, it won’t be on Verizon ever.

Update List

There is no “Sprint always gets the latest Nexus devices” crap.

The ONLY reason Google gave the Nexus S to Sprint was because of the Google Voice and Google Wallet deal Sprint had.

The ONLY reason Google gave the Galaxy Nexus to Sprint was because of the Wallet deal.

When the Nexus 4 launched, Google said they would NEVER make an LTE version. Do you know how many versions of the Galaxy Nexus there were? How many versions of the Nexus S? A lot. Seriously, go look, it’ll take a while.

1. Google doesn’t feel like maintaining the 12+ versions of the Nexus 4 they’d have to create just to appease a few whiners here in the US.
2. LTE doesn’t mean ANYTHING to the rest of the world. Stop acting like the US is the only country that manners. No wonder everyone hates us.

I’d like to point you to my website: http://www.randomphantasmagoria.com/firmware. This is a firmware archive for all Google-maintained firmware for every Google experience device from the original MyTouch 3G up through the modern-day. I know exactly how many Nexus S variants there were, exactly how many Galaxy Nexus variants there were, and which firmware is maintained by OEMs vs. Google. Don’t insult me.

And you’re exactly right, LTE matters nowhere else in the world right now, so the fact that we’re talking about an LTE version of the Nexus 4 would necessitate that we’re referring to a device to be sold in the US for use on a US carrier. Considering that the N4 already runs fine on AT&T and T-Mobile (albeit without LTE), chances are over 99% that you count those out. That leaves Sprint and Verizon. What I said still stands.

You can’t point to a single instance in recent (last 3 years) memory where a high-end Android device launched on Verizon six months after it launched on other carriers.

Update List

You just want clicks to your site, no thanks.

I don’t care what you think you’ve found. Unless you work for Google, you and your “findings” mean absolutely squat.

That’s really all there is to it.

The Nexus 4 will never come to Verizon.
The Nexus 4 will never come to Sprint.

Please stop leading people on with speculation.

Justin Winker

They actually said they did not make an LTE version due to battery issues or whatnot. They never said never (and I would hope not).

Aaron

Funny, looks like you quoted Google as saying they would never make an LTE version of the Nexus 4. But doesn’t the N4 already have an LTE radio that is just disabled?

And I didn’t see where anybody said that the US is the only country that matters. But you do come off as ignorant by dismissing the importance of the US in the tech industry and in the world market. If anything, that’s why the haters hate. Quit whining and go troll on a Euro or Chinese site. We don’t like America haters here.